LGV Drivers Hours 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the Working Time Directive's maximum average weekly working time for mobile workers?
- 35 hours
- 40 hours
- 48 hours (Correct answer)
- 60 hours
Correct answer: 48 hours
The Road Transport Working Time Directive limits average weekly working time for mobile workers to 48 hours, averaged over a reference period of 17 weeks (extendable to 26 weeks by agreement). Working time cannot exceed 60 hours in any single week.
Question 2: Under EU rules, when does a new 'day' begin for the purposes of daily driving and rest?
- At midnight
- At the end of the previous daily or weekly rest period (Correct answer)
- At 6 AM
- When the driver starts the engine
Correct answer: At the end of the previous daily or weekly rest period
A new driving 'day' (24-hour period) begins at the end of the last daily or weekly rest period. This is important because all daily driving and rest requirements must be completed within each 24-hour period starting from this point.
Question 3: What is a 'fixed week' under drivers' hours regulations?
- Any 7-day period
- The period from 00:00 Monday to 24:00 Sunday (Correct answer)
- A week when no driving is done
- A week with no reduced rest periods
Correct answer: The period from 00:00 Monday to 24:00 Sunday
A 'fixed week' under EU drivers' hours rules runs from 00:00 on Monday to 24:00 on Sunday. The 56-hour weekly driving limit and weekly rest requirements are calculated within these fixed weekly periods.
Question 4: Can a driver interrupt their daily rest period under EU rules?
- Yes, as many times as they want
- Only if travelling by ferry or train — the rest can be interrupted twice for boarding/alighting (Correct answer)
- Yes, for meal breaks only
- Never — the rest must be uninterrupted
Correct answer: Only if travelling by ferry or train — the rest can be interrupted twice for boarding/alighting
A regular daily rest can be interrupted no more than twice for the purpose of boarding or leaving a ferry or train, provided the driver has access to a bunk or couchette. Each interruption must not exceed one hour, and the total rest must still be 11 hours.
Question 5: What are the penalties for drivers' hours offences in the UK?
- A verbal warning only
- Fixed penalties of up to £300 per offence, with more serious cases resulting in prosecution, unlimited fines, and possible imprisonment (Correct answer)
- A letter to the driver's employer
- No penalties — the rules are advisory
Correct answer: Fixed penalties of up to £300 per offence, with more serious cases resulting in prosecution, unlimited fines, and possible imprisonment
DVSA can issue fixed penalties of up to £300 per offence. Serious or persistent offences can lead to prosecution in court with unlimited fines and potential imprisonment. The driver's licence can also be affected, and the operator's OCRS score worsened.
Question 6: What must a driver do if they are unable to reach a suitable stopping place to begin their daily rest?
- They must stop immediately wherever they are
- They may extend driving to reach a suitable place, provided road safety is not jeopardised, and must note the reason on the tachograph (Correct answer)
- They can skip the daily rest entirely
- They must call the police for permission
Correct answer: They may extend driving to reach a suitable place, provided road safety is not jeopardised, and must note the reason on the tachograph
Under Article 12 of Regulation 561/2006, a driver may depart from the rules to the extent necessary to reach a suitable stopping place, provided road safety is not jeopardised. The reason and nature of the departure must be noted on the tachograph printout or record sheet.
LGV Drivers Hours 2
What is the Working Time Directive's maximum average weekly working time for mobile workers?